Of Hearts and Shells: 50 Shades of Green
by ravenshell
Summary: When April gets turned into a turtle, it's Donnie's dream come true. But is there something wrong with her? Apritello, with a little Leorai. Slightly AU. 2 chapter teaser: see full story on Adult-Fanfiction . org.
1. Chapter 1 - Welcome to the Friend Zone

Of Hearts and Shells : 50 Shades of Green

Disclaimer: All TMNT characters belong to their creators. This fic is purely for entertainment; I recieve no monies for publishing it.

A/N: Based off the 2012 TMNT series. Slightly AU: I wrote the bulk of this during the show's summer hiatus... and then came The Invasion, and screwed most of my plans... making this fic either entirely AU, or placed sometime in the future when the status quo has been restored. If possible, I'll try to keep this series in line with what's going on in the show from here on out.  
>Also, I intend to play with some basic fandom tropes in Of Hearts and Shells, taking then to another, more adult level.<p>

Please check out the full version on if these two SFW chapters have piqued your interest, and check out the companion piece to this fic, OHAS: Queen Takes Rook, which patches up a slight plot hole in this fic (also SFW).  
>May OHAS bring you as much joy in reading as it has brought me in writing, and leave me a review! I do so love reviews! ^_^<p>

The Turtle lives 'twixt plated decks

Which practically obscure its sex.

I think it clever of the turtle

In such a fix to be so fertile.

_-Ogden Nash_

A nymphomaniac is someone who has more sex than you do.

_- Alfred Kinsey_

Chapter 1 - You are Now Entering the Friend Zone

"You know this isn't going to work out, right?"

Donatello looked up at her, his mouth full of sandwich, which he suddenly had remarkable trouble swallowing. At his non-response, April continued.

"Us… This." She took his arm from around her shoulders.

"I thought you liked the picnics," he said, finally getting the bite to go down.

"The picnics are fine. And I like spending time with you, but…" Her voice was full of melancholy, echoing off the walls of the subway tunnel they'd chosen to have lunch in. "… that's all it can ever be. It's like we're kidding ourselves if we keep going… thinking we can be in love, have a normal relationship…"

"'Normal relationship,' humph." He had to agree with her there; it was anything but normal… one human girl, one mutant turtle. That they were together at all was completely insane.

"Exactly."

"But I do lo—"

"Don't! … Donnie, just… don't." She sighed and pushed herself away from him and up to her feet on the deserted platform. "It doesn't matter if we have feelings for each other… they're just leading us down a dead-end street… Don't you see?"

Of course he could. He knew, knew from the start, that he'd been deluding himself. He had even tried to tell himself that it was just a crush, that he would get over it—that he _needed_ to get over it—but, that was when April started returning his affections. The overwhelming joy pushed all doubts aside, because nothing else mattered more at that point. Now, though… the fall was that much higher.

"Yeah," he said, a bit dourly, "I understand." And he did understand. Understood completely. She craved the normal life she had had; one where she could go out with friends, in the middle of the day, no less… to walk down the street without wondering where they were watching her from, or smelling like the sewers… She wanted to get married one day, and have children. Normal children. Not mutant children.

Of course, now that she knew what was out there, knew what monsters lurked in the darkness, good or evil, life would never be completely normal for her ever again. The whole alien invasion and mutant mess had seen to that. You couldn't unsee it, especially when you were so involved in it all.

His heart burned in his chest, aching with the loss. It wanted to beg her to stay, to tell her not to do this… but, no. Donatello steeled himself. It was a hard letdown, but she was right… if not now, when? Some other time down the road? No sense in dragging it out…

He couldn't be angry about it… he still loved her too much, and he knew her intentions were good. His love for her would remain, he was sure, unfulfilled though it was. And he knew the love she felt for him wouldn't entirely leave her either. The love would continue, even though the relationship could not. And since he loved her, and wanted the best for her, the best thing he could do was to let her go.

But oh, god, it ached…

He forced down the lump in his throat and tossed the remains of his sandwich onto the tracks, then stood to join her. "We'll still be friends, though, won't we?" he asked hesitantly.

She sniffed deeply. He thought he saw her wipe a sleeve over her eyes as she stooped to pick up their basket. "Of course we will," she said with an overt attempt to be cheerful. "Come on." She grabbed him by the hand. He habitually curled his three large fingers around it, but this time he especially noted the disparity in size. "Wanna whack each other with sticks when we get back?" she asked mischievously.

He brightened a little at this. "You're on!" Some sparring would be a welcome distraction, not to mention a good outlet of aggression. "And I'm gonna beat you this time too!"

"No you're not!" April laughed back. He loved her laugh. The thought stung him again as he realized it. He pushed it away. This was how things were going to have to be.

"I might!" he replied defensively, and this time they laughed together.

The match between them was getting heated. Their strikes against each other came at a furious pace. Donatello rolled left to avoid an overhead blow from April's rattan training staff. The impact on the floor cracked like a gunshot. Don took a swipe at her legs to trip her, but she jumped over his bo and aimed another swift blow at his side. He had time to dodge, and her swing, while it connected with his shell, didn't weaken his stance. He went into an overhead spin, aiming a downward jab at her. She leapt backward, evading in that intuitive way of hers, and came back at him with a spinning swing from the side. He parried and, after a tense moment, forced her back.

In the half a year that she had been training with Splinter, she had learned much. She was a quick study, and could read many of her opponents' attacks before they struck. She was an absolute ace with her tessen, but in the course of their relationship, Donnie had begun training her with the staff as well, so that they could spar on even footing. Master Splinter had approved: "Teaching another provides oneself a greater mastery of one's own knowledge." It had been a fun activity that he and April could share, and he loved that he could share his expertise with her… but… Now she was almost outpacing his skills. She adapted quickly, anticipated many of his moves, and extemporized techniques in ways that left him floored… literally, likely as not. About the only advantages he still had over her were the speed of his attacks and superior strength. And, well, his shell.

She wasn't holding back today; maybe she felt she had no more obligation to. He found himself having to be rougher with her just to match her ferocity. The intensity of the match had even drawn Leo and Raph's attention away from their own match to watch them go at it. They joined Michelangelo, who, partnerless for the moment, was sitting on the sidelines with a bowl of popcorn.

Their staves clacked together as they matched blows. Back, spin, forward; back, spin, forward. The tempo of their swings at each other increased to a point where Donnie felt that she was getting ahead of him, and rolled back, giving himself a chance to strike toward her feet and—Did she just jump that before he'd even gotten the bo into the beginning of its arc?

Stunned, he didn't recover quick enough, and gave April the opportunity to land a stab to his fore-plating, right at the heart. It threw him back, but he regained his feet and came at her with a blocking spin. He struck; she parried, eye to eye with him, until he made an attempt to disarm her by getting his bo under hers. She flipped to the left. He followed the movement, and the two of them went cartwheeling around the practice area in a near-perfect circle. They wheeled around at such speed that their audience had to scramble out of the way, trailing alarmed shouts and kernels of popcorn.

She eventually broke away from him, going into a blazingly fast side spin. He knew this. He had this. She ran toward him. All he had to do was block forward and— The end of her staff hit the floor a yard in front of him and she… pole-vaulted?! Where had she learned that move?! he wondered. He spun his bo behind him, blocking her next swing instinctively with a backward thrust. He felt the end impact flesh and heard an "Oh!" from April.

Concerned, he dropped his guard and turned to face her. "Are you all r—OOF!" The rattan staff rammed into his cheek. He reeled, seeing stars, and had no time to recover before she swept his feet out from under him with her next maneuver. He landed on his back. Even with a shell, the fall knocked the wind out of him. It was over. April gave him a prim bow, then without meeting his eyes or saying a word, left.

"Whoa," Leonardo finally managed.

"Yeah, that was definitely more intense than usual," Raphael nodded, as Donnie, coughing, slowly rose back to his knees. "She really looked like she was going in for the kill there."

Mikey's eyes suddenly went wide. "You guys broke up, didn't you?!" The others blinked at him. Mikey was not known for being astute.

Donnie sighed and nodded in confirmation. "Yeah."

Mike tsked. "I knew it!"

Leo threw him a skeptical look. "You. Knew it." Raph gave him a matching stare.

"You guys didn't see that?" Mikey looked frustrated. "Look… normally when they spar, it's like a dance, like they both want to be there with each other. This time, Donnie wanted to dance, and April was in it for an all-out brawl!" He shook his head. "Dude didn't stand a chance…"

Raph turned to Leo. "How is he seeing this?"

"I dunno," he replied. "Maybe we should stop letting him sit on the sidelines all the time…"

"Donnie, what the hell did you say to her?" Raph accused.

"I… what? Nothing! She was the one that wanted to break it off! And she was fine and happy with it half an hour ago…"

"Dude," Mikey said soberly, "she's really hurting."

Raph waved his arms at Mike. "How does he keep doing tha— Ya know what? I don't even care. I'm out of this conversation." Leo rolled his eyes as their brother stormed off.

Donnie finally joined them, back on his feet. "But what's with the aggression? She was fine with it—she broke up with me!"

"That's what's tearing her up, man! This is probably the hardest thing she's ever had to do! Think about it… she's independent, and strong, and kind," Mikey listed, "and she wouldn't want to hurt you… she loves you! Did she cry?"

Donnie thought back. "A little. She tried to hide it."

"Uh huh, mm-hmm," Mikey nodded, crossing his arms.

"Soooo… what did she leave you for?" Leo asked.

Don looked at his feet. "Oh, ya know… incompatibility issues."

"Um, wut?" Mikey said, encountering an unfamiliar word.

"It's because I'm a turtle," Donnie explained for him.

"Oh, man… That's rough."

Don nodded. "And, you know, she's right… she's completely justified in breaking it off, because if things went any further, there would just be that much more heartbreak… but…" He huffed, and continued mostly to himself, "… but, what am I ever gonna do without her?"


	2. Chapter 2 - Thunderstruck

Disclaimer: TMNT and all associated characters are property of their original creators. This fic is for entertainment only, and I receive no monies from this publication.

A/N: This is a teaser for the full version of Of Hearts and Shells:50 Shades of Green. The full version may be found on . Please also check out the companion piece to 50 Shades, OHAS: Queen Takes Rook.

Chapter 2: Thunderstruck

Two weeks later, and all was back to normal... if being outside of a relationship was normal. April seemed to have worked out her aggression toward Donatello, but her demeanor toward him was still noticeably cooler than it had been previously; she was distant toward him, ruthless in their duels, and even with the others, she seemed despondent. So much for the "still be friends" arrangement, but he let it be.

Donnie supposed that this was par for the course when it came to breakups... Things just weren't going to go back to the way they had been before their relationship.

The orb on the table flashed to life, alien characters tracing their way across its surface. Leonardo was the first to notice it, though April sensed its activation as well and peeked in from the other room. "Looks like the Kraang are on the move again," Leo assessed, though had to call his brother in to decrypt the message. He walked purposefully toward the Shellraiser and rapped twice on its hull. Donnie slid out from beneath the massive metal beast and raised his welding shield. He looked aggravated at being disturbed, but his annoyance vanished when he saw that it was Leonardo, and Leo didn't have a tendency to bother him for no reason. "Kraang encryption. We need you on the computer."

Donnie nodded as he shed his welding gear. "I should just set it up to automatically decrypt things so I'm not the only one able to read them..." he mulled as he joined April and Leo. With a few taps to his keyboard, the display of the Kraang plans showed on the monitor. "Looks like they're up to something in Central Park... They're trying to terraform a wide section of it, and probably everything and every_one_ in it with mutagen!"

April gave the screen a skeptical scowl. "That sounds like a lame plan... What would that get them?"

"A lot of people out in the clear, no buildings nearby, especially this time of the day, when everyone's out of -school or off work..." Leo mused aloud.

"And if they're successful, a whole lot of new, very disoriented mutants to take away and experiment on." Don added on the tail of his thought.

"Then why not the whole park?" April asked, circling the map on the screen with a finger. "Why just this block here?"

"Popularity?" suggested Leo.

"Biodiversity? They do use a lot of exotic plants in the gardens..." Donnie likewise speculated.

"Whatever it is, it's not really important. Guys, gear up. We're going topside to check things out." He turned to Donnie. "Is the Shellraiser ready to go?"

Don rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, I just get under there and weld during the most sweltering days of the year because I like seeing the pretty sparks."

"How long 'til it's done?"

"Couple days, maybe a week. It's not going on this mission in any ca-" Donnie realized that his brother was giving him puppy eyes. "You really wanted to drive it again, didn't you?" Leo nodded, puppy-eyed gaze continuing. Donnie sighed, then glared. "You know, one of these days, I'm gonna teach you some auto-repair skills so you can fix all the damage you and Raph do to this thing on your own." To no one, he muttered, "WHY am I the only useful one around here?" He looked to April for a second, but she refused to meet his eyes. Deliberately.

Raph slammed the pinball machine hard enough to make the tilt lights flash as he lost his ball, and Michelangelo, who had been watching, gave a mocking laugh. With the game over, the two of them joined Leo for the mission briefing. "What's the deal, Leo?" Raph called.

"We're gonna play your favorite game, Raph... Krack-a-Krang."

"Oh, is it my birthday already?" He looked thrilled.

Mikey looked panicked. "It's Raph's birthday and no one told me?!"

Donnie gave him a sidelong glance. "We all have the same birthday, genius.."

Michelangelo went from distraught to outright upset. "It's MY birthday and you guys didn't get me anything?" he whimpered, tearing up.

Leo huffed. "Mikey, our birthdays were two months ago. Now listen... Donnie and Raph, you approach from the north, while Mikey and April and I will come in from the west side here. Keep out of sight, and report in on the T-phones when you have visual. Got it?" Seeing assenting nods all around, he declared, "Let's roll out." He looked back to the Shellraiser, still up on jacks. "Or… we take the subway..."

It crossed Donatello's mind that Leo had purposely separated him from April. He resented it a little, but had to admit, given their breakup, that it was a wise move. Don had to concede that his prior antics to attract her attention were maybe a little too over the top... but that was before. There wasn't any point in trying to win her back now. Not when a mutant-human relationship was such an obvious dead-end. Still... it had been so long since he'd seen her smile, and he missed the kind warmth that shone forth from her when she did, not only toward himself, but toward everyone. It was like the soul had gone out of her. He'd do anything to see her happy again... Letting her go, that was supposed to be a step in that direction, wasn't it? Destroying the happiness they'd had was supposed to make things better for her, to give her her freedom. It's what she had wanted... so why was she so miserable?

A sudden sharp jab in his side brought him out of his reverie. Raphael withdrew his sai. "Hey, boy genius, you coming, or what?"

Don realized he'd been staring into space for several minutes. Right. THIS was why Leo split them up like this, to keep his focus off April. _Smart move, Leo._

The two of them moved in on their marks, under the cover of a decorative hedge. Not seeing them, a black-suited Kraang walked past their position, carrying a length of metal. The oppressive heat did not seem to bother it at all, while the two turtles sweltered in the humidity. It wasn't going to hold out for long, though, judging by the massive banks of black clouds gathering nearby.

Donatello spoke into his phone. "We have visual on the Kraang. They appear to be constructing a round metal platform of some kind with a central pillar... Looks more like human technology than Kraang tech..."

"Copy that," Leo's voice replied. "No visual from here on the platform, but we are seeing some Kraang movement. They're moving in a lot of pieces of metal and... looks like red and yellow fabric, and..." The line went silent for a moment. "Was that a goat?"

Raphael snickered and poked Donnie for his attention. A Kraang walked past them carrying a chicken. They followed it along the hedgerow, finally spotting its destination: a large pen near the metal structure. The droid they had been following entered it and set down the chicken. Another android present in the pen addressed the new arrival. "Kraang has decided that Kraang does not like the creature known as 'a goat.' It has eaten Kraang's favorite external covering." The other automaton bleeped and examined the jacket of the first. It was, indeed, quite chewed-looking.

"What, are they making a petting zoo?" Raph derided, but that did seem to be the case, as a calf, a goose, a pair of pigs, more goats, and a miniature horse arrived… and, because the Kraang seemed to have a poor grasp of what belonged in a petting zoo, an ostrich, a huge iguana, and a camel.

"I really do not believe what I'm seeing..." Donnie said aloud.

For good measure, one of the Kraang droids added a container labeled "Hand Sanitizer" to a post of the petting zoo, and opening the top, poured in the contents of a flask of mutagen.

Disgust graced Raph's featured. "That is just deranged..."

April's voice came on the line. "Guys, I think they're making a carousel. They just passed here with a bunch of horses..."

Leo chimed in again. "I thought they were supposed to be trying to terraform this place...now they're building amusement rides?"

"Only seeing the carousel and petting zoo here," Donnie replied. " Still..."

With easily thirty Kraang on site now, the rest of the carousel structure was erected in minutes, yellow and red awning, flagging, lights, music and all. But, as a finishing touch, so to seem, several Kraang attached containers of mutagen along the outer rigging of the carousel's tent.

"We've moved up, visual on carousel," Leo said. "Are you guys seeing this?"

"Confirmed, mutagen on the outer struts, but why there? Unless..."

One of the Kraang waved an arm. "The project which is here is complete, and is ready for the testing. Kraang, bring in the object which is for the testing of the project." Another of the androids brought forth what could only be a large sack of potatoes in a burlap sack and placed it on the saddle of one of the brightly painted ponies. When his associate cleared the platform, the announcing Kraang nodded, and another automaton hit a switch. The carousel merrily turned in a circle for several seconds, then suddenly sped to a blur. The bag of potatoes flew from the whirling cylinder and smacked against the back fence of the petting zoo. The goats and pigs squealed as they scurried out of its way, then quickly returned to gnaw on the mashed contents of the sack. The iguana looked displeased as it was spattered with potato.

Mikey's gasp suddenly came over the line. "They're gonna use it like a center-fudge!"

Donnatello blinked. How Mikey had grasped the concept of a centrifuge but still couldn't get the name right was beyond him, but he was spot-on, and now Donnie could see the workings. "It's designed to throw the occupants into the animal pen and gardens while spraying mutagen over them, AND the ground, and that's what they're planning to use to terraform it!"

"Kids!" April suddenly raged. "They're planning on using little kids for this! Why those dirty, rotten... ugh!"

"Well, that kind of makes sense too... if you want mutants to test on, or be used as an army, you'd want the little ones that can't fight back and could be trained to your cause, right?"

Raph swiped the phone from Donnie. "You scare me sometimes, Leo."

"He's right, though," Don said, taking his phone back. "According to Kurtzman, the Kraang have been screwing with this planet for centuries... they can certainly work for long-term goals..."

"Well, let's make 'em a little longer-term, then!" Raph made to get up. Donnie pulled him down again.

"Wait for Leo to signal us!"

Thunder boomed loudly, and rain began spattering down on them. One of the droids turned to another. "Kraang said that there would be many humans in this place at the time that is now. Kraang did not check the report of the weather on the channel known as 'six.' Kraang is an idiot."

Raph didn't have to wait long for Leo to give the go-ahead. "Eight canisters… Move in. Stealth tactics, for as long as we can stay unnoticed."

"Copy, moving in," Donnie replied, then turned to find that Raph had already disappeared somewhere down the hedgerow.

In the dusk of the evening and the rain, the shapes of the turtles were virtually invisible in the high ornamental bushes, and the calliope music from the carousel covered the sound of their movement, but as it stood in the clear, stealth meant careful timing. As one Kraang passed, Leonardo darted forward and leapt onto the canopy. He made a grab for the canister nearest him and… it didn't budge. He lay flat against the strut, for a bit more concealment, but as the platform turned, chances were high that he'd be seen. A quick glance showed that each container was securely screwed down in four places. He sighed in annoyance. "Great."

A slight wobble indicated another turtle landing on the strutwork. Leo glanced back. Raph too, it seemed, had found that the canisters didn't easily come off. Leo expected Raph, being Mr. Property damage himself, to jab a sai through the pipe and be done with it despite Leo's plan, but instead, his brother had taken out a shuriken and was using it as a screwdriver to loosen the screws. Leo had to admit, that was brilliant, but the process was taking way too long… they were bound to be—

"The ones known as the Turtles are in the place that is here! All Kraang, attack!"

—spotted. _Shit._ "Raph! Grab 'n' go!" Leo hollered as pink bolts of energy fired past them.

" 'at's what I was waitin' for!" Raph put the shuriken between his teeth, pulled his sai out of his belt and stabbed both at the pipe. To Raph's shock, neither point penetrated the metal. "Huh?" He aimed a single sai at the strut to force through with both hands, and ground his teeth when it turned his strike. "No go, Leo! Too solid! Gonna have to do it the hard way, if you guys can give me some cover…"

Michelangelo and Donatello leapt into the fray, drawing fire from their brothers on the carousel. Though she remained unseen in the bushes, now and then April's tessen would flash across the field, beheading or incapacitating a droid where she could.

Leo dropped from the red and yellow awning, and rolled forward, taking up position next to Donnie. "Hi!" he said brightly, as if joining a game.

"Oh, hey," Donnie replied casually, landing a kick to the suited Kraang he was fighting. Leo caught it and slashed it apart as it fell into his range.

"D'you happen to have a screwdriver with you?"

"As always. Standard or Phillip's head?" Both of them rolled to the side to avoid a barrage of weaponsfire.

Leo looked a bit ashamed. "Iiiiiii honestly don't know the difference. Just trade out and go help Raph unscrew the mutagen." He threw one of his katanas, impaling a nearby enemy droid in the head.

"You got it." Donatello flipped backward to allow Leo to take his place in combat.

Raphael, meanwhile, had managed to get the first container free. "April, north side!" he called.

After a moment, she emerged through the hedge. "I'm here!"

Raph pitched her the mutagen. "We need you to catch these as we get them loose and hide them back in the bushes for later." April nodded and thrashed back through the hedge, returning a few moments later with her arms free.

Working with an actual screwdriver, Don got the next container free much faster than Raph had managed with his shuriken. "Two free," he announced as he tossed it into April's waiting arms. Raph seemed to be taking it as a challenge, trying to increase his pace. The rain began beating down on them in earnest as there was a flash, and thunder crashed dangerously close.

_High metal structure in the middle of a field, with nothing taller around, in the middle of a thunderstorm…, _Donnie thought. _And here we are, spinning around on top of it. Brilliant._

He pulled another flask away from the rigging. "Three!" he called as he passed it down.

"Four!" Raph yelled competitively as he also got one loose, causing April to go "Whoaa!" as she shuffled the vial already in her arms to catch the next.

Donatello happened to look up as he was unscrewing the next canister and swore. "Leo! Mikey! We've got about fifty more Kraang robots inbound!"

"Awh!" Raph groaned at the news, his disappointment clear.

Donnie nodded to the fray below. "Go on, I've got this," he told him.

Raph gave him a stubborn look, then took out a sai and jammed it under the container he was working on, breaking the remaining two screws and prying it free. "Five!" he shouted with a grin, passed the canister to April, then dropped off the canopy and barreled into the battle like a kid into a candy factory.

Three to go. But as April caught the sixth container, the Kraang went on alert. She'd been spotted. "The one known as April O'Neil is in the place that is here! Mission objective prime in effect: Capture the one known as April O'Neil!"

April's face fell. "Uh-oh!" she said nervously, but regained her wits, and shouted, "Yeah, it's me! You want me, Kraang? Come and get me!" With that, she vaulted over the hedge Donnie and Raph had been hiding behind earlier and disappeared into the brush. To a one, the Kraang pursued her, shooting their way through the bushes. It crossed Donnie's mind to call out after her, but she could handle herself, and she must have had a plan. Instead he kept his mind on the mission, freeing the seventh and eighth containers, carrying them himself as he jumped clear of the carousel.

"What's she doing?" Raph queried incredulously. Leo answered him with a shrug, katanas dangling at his sides.

Donatello found the spot where April had stashed the rest of the mutagen and added the two canisters to the pile, then rejoined the others.

Suddenly April came pelting down the path from the south, feet splashing in the thin mud, can of mutagen still in her hands, swarms of Kraang fast on her heels… she'd run them in a circle. No, not a circle… a spiral, with herself at its center! She skidded to a halt on her heels, closed her eyes, balled her fists, concentrating. As the first Kraang began laying their hands on her, she let out a roar and a flash of power that deadened many of the Kraang in her blast-radius, but unfortunately, not all of them. She looked panicked as she ran back toward the turtles. "That didn't go as well as I expected!" she mentioned as she ran past.

While this gave the guys ample targets to attack from the flanks of the mass, a dozen droids were quickly on April's tail. Out of options, she leapt onto the merrily turning carousel and swung herself up onto its framework of struts. Donnie shouted for her to get down, but went unheard in the melee. A few of the Kraang managed to find handholds and clambered their way after her.

She could feel her hair starting to stand on end, despite the rain, and knew that that was a very bad sign. In an all but instinctive move, she threw the mutagen high into the air at the robot behind her. "Catch!" she yelled, and jumped away, letting the canopy canvas break her fall as a bolt of lightning sizzled down from the heavens, striking canister, Kraang, and carousel with a simultaneous ear-splitting kaboom.

The Kraang touching the carousel shorted out spectacularly, as did the carousel itself, music and lights coming to a sparkingly explosive halt. The moment the lightning hit it, the mutagen changed to the glowingly hot pink-white of the bolt itself. The container fell, clanking off the hull of the downed droid that had been about to grab April, then off two struts at the carousel's peak. Bouncing off the canvas, it flipped end over end toward the battle, until it was pierced by one of the errant energy beams assailing the air, nearly right above where April was recovering her footing.

The capsule of mutagen spun and shattered, the glowing ooze spattering outward in a spiral like a firework. Donnie saw it nearly too late. "April!" he screamed, reaching out for her. She was an impossibly far distance from him. Leonardo was nearest her, and reacted with blazing speed to shove her out of the way... almost. He managed to bodily throw her back, dropping one of his katanas to push her away with a palm to her sternum. Milliseconds later, though the shove had sent her on a backward trajectory, globs of mutagen spattered across her cheek, neck, collarbones and the hand she threw up to shield herself. "APRIL!" Don screamed again in panic as she disappeared into the shadow of the hedges. He heard her scream in agony as the mutagen took effect, wracking her body. Through the thick veil of rain, he could see her writhing.

He would have run to her right then, but there were still enemies to be taken care of. He had to block a Kraang droid that was suddenly right on top of him in the instant he had taken his eyes off the fight to watch her. Enraged at his helplessness to save her, he roared at the robot, throwing it backward off his bo, then spinning it and squeezing to reveal the blade at the end. He thrust it through the droid's eye socket, and with a twisting motion, pulled the head free, then jammed it through the brain-like alien held in the thing's torso. The Kraang made an oddly liquid gurgle, unlike the one the brain creatures usually did as they escaped. A strangely purple liquid oozed out around Donatello's blade as its tentacles went limp. It occurred to him as he pulled it out, a robot head and brain shish-kebab on the end of his staff, that none of them had ever killed one of the Kraang brain things, for as many of them as they had fought. In fact, this was the first being that he had actually killed. The thought made him a bit ill, but he kept his mind on the battle at hand.

Another one approached him, weapon blazing. Donnie bellowed at it, whirling his naginata around to bear, impaled head and brain still held fast on the blade. The Kraang brain in the robot blanched. Even the emotionless robotic face seemed shocked at what was suddenly being wielded at it. Horrified, it made an abrupt about-face and ran for its life, only to receive a sai through the head for its effort. The brain wasted no time detaching itself and scuttling away with a traumatized look on its... brain.

On all sides of him, his brothers were mopping up the last of their attackers. Donnie retracted the spear-tip on his bo, its two trophies falling to the ground. He had only one thought on his mind, and though he turned to where she had landed, he found himself rooted to the spot. Before he could mouth her name, he heard Raphael call, "April!" from his right, echoed on his left by Mikey, and Don realized that he wasn't the only one concerned about her…though he could easily beat all of them out for how much.

It would have been a perfectly poetic moment for the rain to ease off, but rain actually has a horrible sense of poetic timing. The sun, however, took its cue to dip down below the cloud layer as it began to set, turning each droplet into a flashing diamond.

There was movement from the hedge where April had landed. Leo stepped forward, unsure what to expect. "April?" he called tentatively.

"Leo," she answered, agonizingly grim, "What am I?", but it was definitely the same sweet voice they knew her to have.

The approaching shadow of a figure was definitely not that of a human, and it moved as if it was not steady on its unfamiliar feet. Leonardo gulped, and replied as tactfully as he could, "You are a wonderful and loving person, whom we all care for very much—"

"Dammit, Leo, don't jerk me around! Just tell me what I turned into!" she snapped, emerging into the light. She had her eyes clenched shut, refusing to look at herself. Donnie's jaw dropped like a cast-iron pan. He stared.

Leo's jaw worked up and down, unable to answer, and not sure if he should. Behind him, Mikey, beaming, emitted an awestruck, "Oh, _wow_..."

Raph smirked. "I think Donnie ought to field this one," he announced. "Donnie?" Donatello could only keep staring. Raph gave him a sidelong glare, then a jab with his sai. "Yo, Donnie!"

"You're a t—" he started, and his voice died. She was a vision, raindrops sparkling around her... He had trouble focusing on any one detail, from the tatters of what remained of her yellow shirt, to the inexplicably feminine peanut-shaped shell, to the fact that despite being reptilian, her red hair still remained, and still in its ponytail. She opened her eyes to look directly into his, still awaiting a full answer. His voice recovered, but just barely. "You're a turtle..."

She let out a sobbing breath that was partly mournful but mostly relief as she fell into his arms. Still stunned, he pulled her to him, patting her shell, noting that the hourglass shape of it accommodated his arms perfectly to hold her. "It's all right... I'll look after you..."

Leo looked up as sirens started in the background and only seemed to draw closer. "Let's grab the mutagen and get underground," he said; an order, but a subdued one.

Donnie kept an arm around April as they walked, her unsteady on strangely-shaped new feet, but stooped to retrieve the remains of the busted canister at the base of the carousel. The metal components of the lid had fused together, but the flask, though ending in a jagged, broken edge, still held a goodly amount of the pinkish-white liquid. A bit of rain had gathered on top of the mutagen, but thankfully, wasn't dense enough to mix with it. Don let out a breath of relief. He would need the sample to figure out a retro-mutagen. Both of them stared at it for a moment. She leaned against him, sobbed against his shoulder, and they began walking awkwardly through the burnt hole the Kraang had cut through the shrubbery to a grating outside of the park.

"Splinter's gonna shit bricks," Raph noted as the five of them got back to the lair.

Mikey giggled. "Aw, I can't wait to see the look on his face!"

"Guys, do you mind?" Don scolded, indicating April, who leaned gently against him as they walked.

"Don't mind at all," Raph snickered in retort.

"Knock it off, you two," Leo reprimanded. "This is serious. April's been mutated, she's still in shock, and you guys are making light of it!" Mike and Raph sobered a little.

"Sorry, April," Mikey capitulated.

The newly-turtle April replied with a sniffle. "It's all right, guys... " She hadn't completely stopped crying, but once again, was making a valiant effort to be strong given the circumstances. Donnie had to love her for her strength of will. He stroked her bangs out of her eyes.

Leonardo nudged Raph. "Go wake Master Splinter."

Raph gave him a look. "Why me?"

"Because I said so!"

Grudgingly, Raphael slid back the rice paper divider to Splinter's sanctum.

"And because you deserve to get hit the most..." Leo added softly enough that only Donnie and April heard him, as Raph's sudden "Ow!" sounded from the next room.

Moments later, Raph reemerged, sensei following. "It really is something you should see for yourself," Raph said, by way of explanation. "She's... um... well... got a new look." He made a wide gesture to the unfamiliar turtle on Donnie's arm.

"Master Splinter...?" April began, failing to find words.

Splinter gave her a stolid but kind look. "Ah, April. I see you've done something new with your hair," he said with a slight smile. "Raphael always does have an eye for these things."

April looked taken aback at his reaction, though not as much as Raphael, who stood rigidly at Splinter's side. "Uh, yes! That was totally the thing I wanted to show you, Master." He looked at the others with pleading eyes.

Mikey appeared at his side, pointing two fingers at him. "Bricks shat, dude."

Splinter circled April, giving her appraising glances, as Donatello backed off to let her stand on her own. "I especially like this new shell you've added under it. Quite flattering."

April blushed. "Master, are... are you really okay with this?"

The robed rat gave her another kind look, and a sigh. "Things are as they are. I do not wish that this had occurred, nor do you, I would guess, but it is not I who must adjust to such change. I believe it is one you are strong enough to overcome, as you show such perseverance. But I do hope it is a temporary state." He turned toward Donatello. "I have all faith that you will come up with a solution for her, my son. In time," he added with a knowing wink.

Mikey sidled his way up to Don. "I've got the perfect name for April!"

Don glared at him. "April already _has_ a name. APRIL."

"Aprurtle!"

"No."

"No wait-TurtApril!"

"NO."

"Tur-pril!"

"MIKEY!"

Mikey igrnoed him, grinning ear to ear. "Hey, April, which do you like better?"

April looked up at him as Splinter retreated back to his privacy. "Uhh..."

Donnie grabbed his brother and muffled him. "That's it... you're done..." With that, he half carried, half dragged Mikey out of the room.


End file.
